From Assassins to Mercenaries
by Gemini14
Summary: Ken has been shanghaied! Now forced to fight for his life in a land as inhospitable as Asran, will he have what it takes to survive? Or will he be another casualty of war?
1. Chapter One

From Assassins to Mercenaries

Chapter One: Shanghaied!

Ken couldn't believe it. He was on his way to a war in North Africa he had nothing to do with. Beside him, a rather miserable looking blond sat, bemoaning his situation. How had he gotten himself into this mess? Furthermore, was there any way out?

"Hey, you all right?" Ken asked. The blond looked at him, giving him a look that told it all.

"No. My best friend betrayed me, I'm being forced to leave my home, and I can't tell my fiancee where I'm going. I may never see her again." The blond said, sadly. 

"Damn, I know how you must feel. I've been betrayed by someone I'd thought to be a friend too. What's your name?" Ken asked.

"Kazama Shin." The blond replied, after a moment.

"Hidaka Ken, pleased to meet you. At least you're not alone in the betrayal department." Ken said.

"Yeah." Shin said, as he lapsed into gloomy silence. Ken sighed and sat back; at least the sides of the vehicle were padded. He thought back to when he'd signed what he'd thought to be a second chance to get into the J-League. He'd no sooner signed the paper when he'd been whisked away into an armored truck and driven off to who knows where. 

"Do you know how to fly a jet?" Shin asked, his voice so quiet, Ken had to strain his ears to hear him. 

"No, not really. But I suppose I'm going to have to learn if I'm going to get home alive." Ken said.

"Do you have anyone at home to return to?" Shin asked, again.

"No. My family's all gone. I did have some friends in Tokyo, but they disappeared months ago and haven't been heard from since. But I don't want to die, if that's what you're trying to get at." Ken said, as he leaned forward a little bit and stared a hole into the side of the truck. 

"I don't want to die, either." Shin murmured, tiredly, as he settled his head back and drifted into exhausted slumber. 

"_Poor guy. It's pasts like his that made Weiss what it was._" Ken thought, as he took Shin's example and went to sleep. Hours later, they were both rudely awakened by some soldiers who stomped into the truck, hoisted them to their feet, and roughly escorted them to a waiting plane. From there, it was another five hours in a small dark holding area. The end of the journey came when Ken felt the bump of the plane's landing gear meeting the runway. 

"Hey, Shin. I think we're there, wherever there is." Ken muttered, as the same soldiers from before appeared and started opening the door. Shin quietly sat up and allowed himself to be hauled to his feet, his expression listless and miserable. Ken followed, ignoring the soldiers behind him and taking in his new surroundings.

"Oh hell………….they've landed us in the middle of the desert!" Ken muttered, as he listened to Shin make a similar remark. 

"This is gonna be your home for the next three years, you two. Welcome to Area 88." One of the soldiers sneered, watching as one man came out of the base and walked up to Ken and Shin, his long black hair blowing wildly in the desert wind.


	2. Chapter Two

Chapter Two: Trading the Claws for Wings

Ken watched as the dark-haired man approached, wary of any sudden movements. He knew from experience that men such as these could change their policies very quickly if they saw what they didn't like. When he was about two feet away, he stopped and looked them over. Then he looked directly at Ken.

"You look like you've killed before." The man said, casually. Ken stiffened, but said nothing. He knew that if he spoke out of turn, he would be severely 'punished' by the burly brutes behind him.

"Come on. Since you're here, you might as well get out of the sun. The rest of your paperwork is inside." The dark-haired man said, as he started walking back into the base. Silently, Ken and Shin followed, not even daring to glance back at the ones who had brought them there. When they got inside, a blast of cool air hit them. Ken couldn't help but sigh in relief.

"Whew………………..knew I shouldn't have worn black jeans!" Ken joked, trying to make light of the situation. The dark-haired man chuckled softly, and Shin cracked a tiny smile, but that was it. 

"It isn't a good idea to wear tight-fitting, dark colored clothing here, that much is certain. On another note, I am Saki Vashutarl, commander of this base. You'll be getting your orders directly from me for the next three years………………if you can survive that long." The man said, as he handed them some folders and walked off.

"It must be one helluva war when someone needs to shanghai people from other countries to fill the ranks." Ken muttered, as he sat down and started on his paperwork. Shin listlessly agreed.

The next day, Ken got his first taste of flight. When Shin had walked him through the ins and outs of the controls, they took one flight to see if Ken could remember what he'd just learned. On the ground McCoy, the weapons supplier, covered his eyes several times when he'd thought that the two were going to collide in mid-air. Amazingly, Ken mastered the controls in a short time, but he knew, deep down, that Omi could have learned how to fly even faster.

"Not bad, lad. You did well for someone who has never flown before." McCoy commented, approvingly, as Ken removed his helmet.

"Thanks." Ken replied, then looked up at the sky, already dreading the next three years of his life.

"_This is going to be worse than Weiss. Much worse._" Ken thought, as the sunset painted the sky in hues of gold and crimson.

**__**

One Year, Ten Days Later…………….

"Shin! Save some for me, will ya? I want to go home too, ya know!" Ken shouted, as he and his friend vied for rights to the tanks below them. 

"Sorry, Ken, but I have someone to go back to!" Shin replied, as he sent a shower of bullets raining down on the enemy tanks.

"Well, I do too! Only…………..I haven't met her yet! Give me a break, will ya?!" Ken again shouted, getting a chuckle from Shin. 

"You could afford to lose six thousand dollars worth! You're keeping your debts paid better than I am!" Shin shouted, before he let two tanks have it. He got a grumble from Ken for a response. 

"H.Q. come in. this is Zero-Zero Section, Shin Kazama and Ken Hidaka, over. H.Q., the insurgent's tanks are heading north from Point Three-Bravo in the southern sector. Over. Damn! They don't copy! This happens too damn often!" Shin growled.

"Damn straight. You'd think they'd get things straight down there by now! Sheesh! It's no wonder guys like us are getting shanghaied! They can't keep in touch with the guys they've got!" Ken muttered, as he and Shin finished their run and went back to Area 88.

"Another hard day finished, and yet another hard night awaits us. Saki's bound to have some sort of attack planned for tonight for his enemies." Ken said, as he and Shin landed, then got out of their aircraft. 

"No doubt about that, Ken." Shin said, looking up as Saki approached them.

"Welcome back, you two. It appears that you both made a fortune today." Saki said, as he gave them a stern look.

"Yep. Of course Shin wanted them all to himself. Again." Ken said, jokingly. This got a slight grin from both men. As Shin and Saki talked about the meeting that was scheduled for that evening, Ken's mind wandered. Just where had his friends disappeared to before he'd been shanghaied? Were they even still alive? If so, then where would they turn up? Ken was jolted from his thoughts by Shin.

"What're you thinking about?" Shin asked.

"Just trying to figure out where my friends disappeared to, that's all. It's still a mystery to me." Ken said, as they went to McCoy's storehouse and haggled him with the prices of ammo for their jets. As Shin parted from him to go to his room, Ken sought the shade of the hangar and the companionship of another friend on base. 

"How did it go, Hidaka?" a tall man with a scarred face asked, as he offered a cold bottle of water to Ken.

"It went all right. How'd your last run go, Harlock?" Ken asked. The tall German shrugged.

"Fair. I almost have enough money for a better plane. Are you still wondering what had happened to your old friends?" Harlock asked.

"Yeah. They would have gotten a good laugh if they had seen me fall for signing that contract. I always have been a bit of an idiot." Ken said, with a sigh.

"I wouldn't say that you're an idiot, but I would say that you let your hopes get the better of you." Harlock said, as he watched some more jets take off. 

"Why are you here, Harlock? Were you tricked into it as well?" Ken asked.

"No. It's more like a family tradition. The men of my family go off to war to learn its art. Then, if they survive, are they allowed to return home. It's a cruel lesson in life, but every family has its way of teaching, I suppose." Harlock said, then stood and stretched. 

"Meeting time. I wonder what Saki will have us do tonight?" Ken mused, as he and the German pilot entered the briefing room.

"I don't know. His eyes never give clues as to what he has in mind. I have a feeling that there is more to this war than is first seen on the surface." Harlock said, as he took a seat apart from the other pilots and turned his gray gaze to the front. 

"_I guess so. But what could the Commander be hiding?_" Ken wondered, as the meeting began. As Ken looked over the sea of faces, he spotted Shin standing with an American pilot that had just arrived on the base. Shin had a grim look on his face, and Ken could guess what he was thinking. 

"_He's tortured even more than I am by this. He has someone he wants to see so desperately but he can't return to her until either time passes or he earns enough to leave. What a rotten deal!_" Ken thought, as Shin announced that he wasn't going on the mission to destroy a missile base and that he was going to accept the five thousand dollar fine for not going.

"Does anyone else wish to disobey this order?" Saki asked, looking a little put off by Shin's audacity.

"I think I'll remain here too, Saki." Ken said, getting an unreadable look from Saki as a result.

"I will sit out as well, Commander." Harlock also said. 

"Why do I even ask?" Saki muttered, shaking his head as he did so. 

"Saki! I'm not going either!" Bowman, a rather shifty pilot among them shouted. 

"Bowman, you only have two thousand dollars in your account. Think again." Saki replied, with a reproving look at the pilot in question.

"Shin old pal, can I borrow three grand off of you? I'll pay you back, I promise." Bowman said, with a pathetic smile. Ken rolled his eyes; he knew what was going to happen next.

"No way, Bowman. Go and meet your maker." Shin replied, coldly. Ken ignored Bowman as he made entreaties to him and watched as Harlock glared stonily at Bowman from his corner, just daring the lying pilot to try and ask him for money with his eyes. Then Saki turned his attention to the American pilot.

"The new pilot……….uh………Mick, is it? What do you have to say for yourself?" Saki asked.

"I'm not going either." The American replied, much to the amusement of the other pilots. Through all the jeering, Ken could hear Mick chuckling as well. 

"_Seems as though we have a fourth. Now we have a small taskforce of our own._" Ken thought, as the meeting was called to an end, and the pilots left, leaving the four to pay the fine.

"What a fine quartet of fools we look." Harlock said, with a cheerful glint in his eye.

"Yeah, but if Shin's thinking what I'm thinking, things are about to get moving around here." Ken said, as they came out of the building and looked up at the clear, starry sky. 

"I must agree." Harlock said, as he looked out across the moonlit sands. Almost as soon as they had finished talking, the alarms started blaring.

"Enemy formation approaching! Enemy formation approaching!" a voice shouted through the intercom.

"Off we go, then. Good luck, Ken!" Harlock shouted, as he climbed into his jet.

"Good luck!" Ken shouted back, just as Harlock's plane left the runway. He, Shin and Mick weren't far behind. Once again the dance of life and death played itself out over the airfield and the four returned. But Ken noticed that Harlock was slow to get out of his jet.

"Hey, are you all right?" Ken asked.

"Ken………………….help me out of here, will you?" Harlock asked, ignoring Ken's question. Ken scrambled up the ladder to his friend's side. He gasped in horror when he saw what condition Harlock was in. His shoulder was bleeding profusely from the bullet wound that was now there. 

"Hang on! McCoy! Call for the medics! Hurry up!" Ken shouted, almost frantically. He could hear Shin and Mick below him, as they also tried to help. As painful as it must have been, Harlock didn't moan once as his friends helped him get back down and onto a waiting stretcher. 

"It'll take more than this to keep me from flying. I'll be out for a while, but I'll be back." Harlock said, with a pained smile.

"And we'll be counting on it." Ken said, as the medics arrived and whisked the wounded pilot away. 

"I understand you four defended the base. Nice work." Saki said, as he approached them. 

"Well you know we always take the better paying jobs, as you know." Shin replied, for them. 

"Yes, well………..it looks as though I will be giving you three a new mission on the day after tomorrow." Saki said, grimly. So it was that another night passed in the base known as Area 88. What would the next day bring? And would it shed new light on Ken's mystery?


	3. Chapter Three

Chapter Three: Lessons on Life and Death

Ken sighed as he turned his eyes to the empty desert sky. It had barely been two months since Harlock had been wounded, and he was up and flying again. He watched as one jet landed on the airstrip; only one jet out of the whole attack squadron that had left earlier that day.

"_What rotten odds. If it keeps up, there won't be anyone left here._" Ken thought, chuckling when he heard McCoy mouth off at the just arrived pilot who had ruined his chance to sell something.

"Don't feel too bad, McCoy, you could always use the duds as bowling pins!" Ken shouted, getting an obscene gesture from the weapons supplier as a result.

"I don't think he likes you very much, Hidaka." Harlock said, grinning as he said that.

"Heh, I wouldn't be surprised. Just because I was a florist before coming here doesn't mean that my brain hasn't been used. The sidewinders he was trying to sell Shin were priced so cheaply that there has to be something up with them." Ken said, with a smirk.

"You must have good ears in order to have heard that." Saki commented, as usual seeming to pop in out of nowhere.

"No, not actually." Ken replied.

"Why do you say that?" Harlock asked, honestly curious.

"McCoy tried to sell those sidewinders to me earlier. I was suspicious about the price and refused." Ken said, getting an odd look from Saki as a result.

"There's going to be another mission at 20:30. Are you two coming for this one?" Saki asked.

"I'm game. Another day of playing 'clean-up' with the enemy forces around here will probably drive me insane. What about you, Hidaka? Are you coming along for the ride?" Harlock asked, showing an anticipation only a pilot like him could show.

"Why not? A little more money in the bank wouldn't hurt, if it'll get me out of here quicker." Ken said, as a stiff desert breeze blew around them.

"Good. I expect to see you take off." Saki said, then turned and left them.

Later, Shin, Ken, Mick, Harlock, and a pilot named Boris sat, watching the sun go down. Aside from the impatient grumbling in German from Harlock, there was silence between them. Each of them knew the risks, and were willing to take them. Then Ken broke the silence.

"Guys, be careful out there. I know this sounds stupid coming from me, since we're all experienced pilots, but I've got a bad feeling that several pilots won't be returning from tonight's mission." Ken said, quietly.

"That isn't unusual, Ken. Pilots die everyday here, so why should it bother you that a few more might die tonight?" Mick asked, curious as to why Ken seemed so uneasy.

"I think one of you might be one of them." Ken replied.

"Don't worry, Ken. I intend to get back alive. I'm not going to let this desert be my grave." Harlock said, as he casually leaned back in his cockpit.

"I also don't intend to die out here." Shin said, with quiet determination.

"And you guys know that I'm too damned stubborn to die out here!" Mick said, getting a much-needed laugh from his companions. The only one that remained silent was Boris. 

"What about you, Boris? Are you going to return alive?" Ken asked, his spirits lifted by Mick's statement. Boris ignored him and shut the cockpit to his F8E Crusader.

"What's with him?" Ken asked.

"Never mind, Ken. Let's get ready to fly." Shin said, as they all returned their attention to the mission at hand. As soon as the sun's last rays had faded into nothing, Area 88 became a hive of activity. Jets were taking off and others were preparing to do so. As Ken waited for his turn to take off, he again turned his thoughts to his friends; what had happened to them? And if they were still alive, where were they living now?

"Okay, Hidaka, you can take off now." Harlock's voice said, rousing Ken from his thoughts.

"Right. See ya in the sky." Ken said, as he turned the jet's engine on to full power, then powered his afterburners. Within minutes, he was in the sky. He joined Shin's group and waited for Harlock to join them.

"Hey, Ken, did you hear how much money this mission is worth?" Mick asked, sounding almost excited.

"Yeah. Twenty thousand dollars is quite a bit of loose change, ne?" Ken joked, getting chuckles of agreement from his comrades.

"It is indeed. One could almost buy a new car for that." Harlock said.

"But how would we drive a new car in the desert? It would need to have four wheel drive in order to last any amount of time out here!" Mick said.

"Too true, Mick. Too true." Shin said, enjoying the conversation, even though they had a mission that was due to start at any moment.

"By the way, Shin, do you think we'll engage any enemy fighters tonight?" Ken asked, getting back to the subject at hand.

"I don't know. Our target is a supply base loaded with anti-aircraft missiles." Shin replied.

"I wouldn't worry too much about their jets. When they have ground to air missiles, they rarely call upon their air strike capabilities." Boris said, speaking up for the first time since the mission began.

"_Boris_…._._" Ken thought, not knowing that Shin was thinking the same thing.

"Now, standby to descend, gentlemen. We don't want to encounter any of those missiles, right?" Boris asked.

"That goes without saying." Harlock muttered, getting a slight snicker from his comrades for that remark. Moments later, they were within sight of their target.

"Okay, here's the moment of truth. Good luck." Harlock said, as he veered off and gained altitude, with Mick following suit. This left Ken, Boris and Shin on the direct course.

"Where're they going?" Ken asked, as he watched the two ascend.

"Doesn't matter. Keep your attention on the target, Ken." Boris ordered. With a nod, Ken did as he was told, unaware of what was going to happen next.

At the enemy control room, they were prepared for the attack.

"Enemy aircraft entering the perimeter at low altitude. Looks like they're doing mach one!" a man's voice said over the end of a radio.

"Impressive. Most impressive (please cue Darth Vader's theme here). They must be those mercenary pilots we've been dealing with of late. We can't let them come any closer! Release the Fang!" the superior shouted. His subordinates did as they were told.

"Fang released!" came the reply.

Outside, a huge, metal gate was rising from the sands like something undead. It came up so suddenly that the jets that were approaching the missile base were unable to evade and were torn to shreds between the narrow gaps.

Back inside, the soldiers were enjoying the sight of mercenary jets crashing after running afoul the 'Fang'.

"Ha! Serves you right, you mercenary pigs!" the superior said, gleefully, but he was not destined to enjoy the victory for long.

"Sir! Three enemy aircraft are inside the perimeter! They've made it through the Fang!" one subordinate yelped, in disbelief.

"What?! Th-that's impossible!" the superior shouted, in horror. But it was true. 

"Of all the combat planes in the world, only the Crusader F8E can fly with its wings folded." Shin murmured.

"And it's a lucky thing for us, too. I feel sorry for the guys who didn't have this kind of plane tonight." Ken said, as they let loose their bombs onto the base. When they had finished, they finally turned around and started the flight back, leaving the base a fiery inferno.

"We did it!" Shin shouted, pleased at the job they had completed. It was just then that the remains of a jet fell past the three of them.

"What the………….?!" Ken yelped, looking up to see where the debris had come from.

"Man, am I tired." Mick's voice muttered, as his jet and that of Harlock descended and flew alongside them.

"You're tired? I can already hear a good glass of brandy and a somewhat soft bed calling me!" Harlock said, pleasurably.

"Hey Mick! Harlock! Nice work!" Shin complemented.

"Were you two defending us from above?" Boris asked, sounding surprised.

"Yeah. We let you guys go after the big target, while we stayed high and caught some flies." Mick said, sounding somewhat pleased with himself.

"Yes. You three should thank us a little." Harlock added.

"No wonder………..It was you two who kept the heat off while we were coming in. No one attacked us, even when we were flying at low speed with our wings folded. I want to thank you, Mick, Harlock." Boris said.

"If that's the case, I think we should divide the twenty thousand dollars among the four of us." Ken suggested.

"No. We can't. The money will be split between three people." Boris said, calmly.

"Boris! We managed to hit this target base because of Mick and Harlock's help! If it wasn't for them, we'd be burning on the ground back there!" Shin shouted, angrily.

"Yeah! We wouldn't even be here to argue the point right now if it wasn't for them!" Ken said, also outraged by Boris' behavior.

"That's okay Shin, Ken. If he's gonna by such a stingy guy, then I don't even want the money. Besides, it's only a measly amount." Mick said, seeming a bit put off as well. There was a long string of curses in German from Harlock for an agreement.

"Boris, you can have it all, if that's your attitude. I'm not taking the money either!" Ken said, angrily.

"I'm not going to take any of it if it means ignoring the help Harlock and Mick gave us!" Shin stated, adamantly. The anger turned to shock when they heard Boris laugh, then start coughing.

"You guys are stupid, jumping to the wrong conclusion like that. When I said it should be split between four people, I meant between the four of you. You have three good friends to split it with, Shin." Boris said, with pain evident in his voice. All four friends sat back in their cockpits in shock.

"When those anti-aircraft guns started firing at us, a couple of rounds hit my plane. I caught one of them in the chest…………I think it got a lung. The others…………..went into the engine." Boris gasped, as blood trickled from the corner of his mouth. There was stunned silence from the four; they couldn't believe what they were hearing. After a moment, Boris began speaking again.

"It's nice to have friends like you………….the older you get……………the more you realize that real friends are the ones who'll risk their lives for you……….." Boris said, then coughed again, bringing up more blood from the back of his throat.

"Boris………………" Ken murmured, feeling tears beginning to form in his eyes, but refusing to let them fall.

"But you only find these friends when one of you…………..is about to die. That's war…………that's life. It's sad………having your friends die around you………………and ending up being alone. So I…………..didn't want to make any friends……….Whenever I sleep in a dark room……………my friends, the faces of my dead friends……….appear one by one. They say 'Hey Boris, how are you doing?'…………….Now I guess its over…………..It seems that I'll finally be able to rest in peace………………" Boris trailed off, as his jet began to lose control.

"Boris!!" Ken cried.

"Boris! Pull up! Pull out of it!" Harlock shouted, desperately.

"Come on, Boris! Pull up!" Mick said, as the jet continued its downward fall.

"Shin…………..when you go back…………….please turn off the lights in my room……………" Boris said, speaking for the last time.

"BORIS!!" the four men shouted at once, vainly trying to get their comrade to pull up. But then the inevitable happened; Boris' plane ran out of sky, and plowed into the desert below, exploding on impact. When they finally arrived back at Area 88, the four pilots descended from their aircraft and faced one another. From what Shin could tell, they were each effected in some way by that night's events; Harlock looked haggard and worn, and his eyes were haunted. Mick was sadly shaking his head, and Ken was wiping his eyes with his flight suit's sleeve to dry them of tears.

"I think each of us have learned something tonight. And it was a hard lesson." Shin said, as the three men nodded in agreement. It was then that Saki walked over to them.

"Good work, you four. The enemy troops retreated from the front line once you destroyed the base. They can't get supplies from there anymore." Saki said, as the four turned to face him.

"I guess that's a good thing." Ken said, softly. Saki nodded, gravely.

"The number of aircraft used in this sortie was fifteen. Of these, eight have not returned. The next operation will take place the day after tomorrow." Saki said, before silently dismissing himself. The mood was lifted when Mick spoke up again.

"Now I've got a bone to pick with that little weasel, McCoy." Mick grumbled.

"Oh? Did he sell you some defective equipment?" Shin asked.

"Yeah, I bought some of those cheap sidewinders, but……….." Mick said, interrupted by Ken next.

"They didn't explode, right?" Ken asked, amused by this bit of news.

"Ha! Oh, they exploded all right!" Mick said, with a sarcastic laugh.

"Then what's your problem?" Shin asked, confused.

"There was something wrong with the fuse, and it exploded before it hit the target." Harlock said, with a wry grin.

"The damn thing blew up when it was three hundred feet away! What a rip-off!" Mick shouted, angrily. Later, when everything had calmed down, Shin and Ken went to Boris' room and found one of the maintenance men there, taking the sign down from the door. Beside the door, was a box filled with Boris' personal belongings.

"Is this all the stuff Boris left behind?" Shin asked.

"Yes, but we don't have any address to send it to. It looks like we'll have to keep it at headquarters." The maintenance man said, sadly. With nods of understanding, both Ken and Shin went into the now empty room and looked at the light that hung from the ceiling.

"Good night, Boris." Shin murmured, as they both walked out, turning out the light as they went. As Ken entered his room again, he glanced at the single picture on the bedside table. It was a photo of himself, Youji, Ran, Omi, and Aya before they had all parted ways.

"_The older you get, the more you realize that real friends are the ones who'll risk their lives for you._" Boris' voice said, in his mind, as he gazed at the faces in the photograph.

"They were my friends…………….and I hope we'll meet again someday…………" Ken murmured, as he turned off the light and lay down on his bed. In his mind's eye, as he drifted into sleep, he saw Boris reuniting with his friends, their laughter and welcoming shouts echoing across the shadowy expanse of his dreams.


	4. Chapter Four

Chapter Four: Burning Sands

The skies above the desert burned as two Crusader jets cleared them of enemy aircraft. Ken and Shin were alone on their run that day, and fighting hard. Ken wheeled around when he saw that there were more aircraft coming their way.

"Here comes some more, Shin! Don't hog them all!" Ken said, grinning as he took out two more enemy fighters.

"Right." Shin replied, a little sarcastically. This was a typical day for the two. Fearlessly they fought off several jets with ease. But, before anything more could be said, the sound of machine gun fire came, and Shin's Crusader was hit.

"Shin! Are you all right?" Ken asked, afraid that there would be a repeat of the night Boris died.

"I'm fine, but my engine compressor's shot!" Shin said, as his Crusader began to descend sharply.

"Try to pull up, Shin!" Ken shouted, before his Crusader's engine emitted a low groan, then died.

"Shit!" Ken cried, as he ejected from his cockpit. He watched in horror as Shin's Crusader came down hard. Then all was darkness.

Hours later, Ken awoke to find himself near the debris of his Crusader. Surprisingly, there wasn't a scratch on him!

"_Somebody was watching out for me! I wonder where Shin is?_" Ken wondered, as he stood up and looked around. At first, all he could see was the debris from his own aircraft, then he spotted the smoldering hulk of Shin's Crusader.

"Shin!" Ken yelped, as he rushed over to see if his friend was all right. He got within ten feet of the downed plane before he saw Shin lying on the sand, still as death.

"Shin!!" Ken shouted, as he dashed over to his fallen friend and turned him over. He could see immediately that Shin was in dire need of medical attention; his arms and chest were burned, and blood dripped from a wound on the side of his face. Adding to his problems was the fact that he was having difficulty breathing. 

"Hang on, Shin. Don't die on me here! You've got somebody waiting for you back in Japan, so don't you dare die out here." Ken muttered, as he picked up and shouldered Shin's weight and began the long, hot walk back to base. 

"Bastard Kanzaki…………………Gonna survive…………..to kill you……" Shin moaned, softly, as Ken stopped near a rocky outcrop to rest. Selflessly, Ken reached into his survival pack and grabbed his water ration from it.

"_It's not much, but I must keep Shin hydrated. If I don't, he'll become the world's newest sun-dried mummy._" Ken thought, as he brought the water packet to Shin's lips and helped him drink. 

"Hurts………………Ken?…………Where are we?" Shin asked, actually becoming a little more lucid, thanks to the small sip of water.

"In the middle of nowhere, North Africa. How are you holding up?" Ken asked.

"I hurt all over. I don't want to die out here, Ken. Ryoko's waiting for me." Shin replied, his voice weak and pain-filled.

"I know. Just hang tough, we'll get through this somehow." Ken said, as he helped Shin get to his feet, and they walked a little bit farther. Every now and again, the two men would stop and rest, with Ken giving Shin small sips of water to keep him going. 

"Are we in hell, Ken? Have we both died and gone to hell?" Shin asked, when they had stopped again. Ken shook his head.

"Last time I checked, we were wandering the North African desert, looking for an airbase going by the name of Area 88. We're still very much alive, Shin." Ken said, trying to encourage his injured friend. Shin sighed and leaned back, allowing the cool of the surrounding rocks to absorb into his skin.

"Do you think we'll ever find it?" Shin asked, sounding like he was losing hope.

"We won't if we give up. 'Sides, I think Harlock and Mick would come looking for us after awhile, even without Commander Saki's permission." Ken said, with confidence he didn't feel in his voice.

"What are we going to do now, Ken?" Shin asked, as Ken sat down in the shade.

"Wait till nightfall. It'll be better to travel at night, and we might locate the base faster since the runway lights will be on by then." Ken replied, as the long wait for sundown began. Hours passed slowly for the two men sheltering in the rocky outcrops, but, eventually, the sun began its descent, turning the golden desert sands a bright crimson in its setting.

"The sand looks like blood." Shin commented, tiredly, wincing as Ken hoisted him to his feet again.

"It does, but don't dwell on it. There's been way too many reminders in the past couple of days of man's mortality, and I don't want you to die on me with that in mind." Ken said, as they began again to trek across the cooling sands. As night settled itself firmly onto the desert, Ken was reminded of his own thirst when his very breath brushed against his throat. 

"Ken, are you all right?" Shin asked, when he noticed that his friend had a strained look on his face.

"I'm fine, Shin. Just a little thirsty, that's all." Ken replied, ignoring the scratchy quality that was now only just emerging in his voice.

"You haven't had any water since we left the Crusaders, have you?" Shin asked, again.

"No, I haven't. And the water in your survival pack is for tomorrow, if we're out here that long." Ken said, as he scanned the horizon for anything that resembled runway lights.

"I hope we aren't." Shin murmured, as they continued on in silence. After awhile, to their relief, they saw the base in the distance, and the jets taking off from there. 

"Area 88. We're almost there." Ken muttered, sighing with relief at the sight.

"I never thought I would actually be happy to see the place." Shin said, equally as relieved. As they approached, they could see two familiar looking pilots standing around, looking just a tad bit concerned about something. Ken chuckled when he saw one of them, most likely Harlock, begin pacing, bringing into mind the image of a caged tiger. As they stepped onto the tarmac, Ken and Shin waited for the last of the jets to take off, before they approached their two anxious looking friends.

"Ken! Shin! Where the hell have you been?!" Mick asked, getting the German equivalent to his exclamation from Harlock, directed at the two once-missing pilots.

"We got shot down. Shin's been hurt, as you can see." Ken said, watching as the two men's faces paled when they looked upon Shin.

"And you don't look very well yourself, Hidaka. Get yourselves checked into sickbay. We'll explain what has happened to Commander Saki." Harlock said, calmly, yet with some concern, as they both did as they were told. As it turned out, Shin's burns weren't as serious as Ken had originally thought, but Ken was badly dehydrated, and was restrained from doing anything for twenty-four hours. 

"I must say that this is something I don't hear too much about. That was a brave, yet rather foolhardy, thing to do, Ken." Saki said, when things had quieted down for a while.

"I know, sir. But I couldn't just leave Shin out there to die. It wouldn't have been right." Ken replied. He was confused when Saki got a sad, distant look in his eyes.

"You sound as my brother had. He had the same beliefs you do. Well, in any event, you're here. Take it easy for the next couple of days. I'll let you know when you are to go back on duty." Saki said, calmly.

"Yes sir. Understood sir." Ken said, with a slight salute. 


	5. Chapter Five

Chapter Five: The Old Soldier's Fire

The scream of a jet engine was a usual sound on the base known as Area 88. Ken watched as Shin and a few other pilots tested some new jets for the base's regular air force.

"Those regulars are lucky s.o.b.'s. They get the pick of the finest aircraft on the field." Harlock said, as he admired the new jets from where he stood.

"Heh, I know the feeling, Harlock. They are a fine looking bunch of war machines, have no doubt about that." Ken said, grudgingly admitting that he was also a little bit jealous of the regulars.

"The F-15 Eagle………..one of the finest warbirds this world has ever seen." Harlock said, smirking as Mick joined them.

"Yeah. State-of-the-art kill power. I'd clean up in no time with this baby." Mick said, as he patted the side of one of the jets with his gloved hand.

"Unfortunately, they only bought enough for the Asran Regular Air Force." Shin said, as he also looked longingly at the jets.

"What a sorry bunch we look, ne?" Ken asked.

"Yeah. Like a bunch of kids in a candy shop. Personally I prefer women to jets." Another voice piped up. Ken stiffened; he knew that voice!

"Youji!" Ken shouted, as he turned and gaped at the grinning blonde.

"Good to see you too, Ken." Youji said, as his former colleague nearly knocked him over in order to shake his hand.

"When the hell did you get here?!" Ken asked, as Shin, Mick, and Harlock watched the reunion in amused silence, not noticing when Saki joined them.

"Just today. Where's Ran and Omi? Do you know?" Youji asked, in turn. Ken shook his head.

"Don't you? I thought for certain that you would know where they are!" Ken said, as Youji shook his head.

"I haven't seen either of them in almost a year. You're the first one I've seen in all that time." Youji replied.

"I see……………..Anyway, these are some of my new associates. Youji, meet Harlock, Kazama Shin, and Mick Simon, the terrors of Area 88." Ken said, as he introduced each member of the self-proclaimed task force to Youji.

"Pleasure to meet you, gentlemen. But who's the dark-haired guy with ya?" Youji asked, even though he had a knowing glint in his eyes.

"Shit! Saki!" Harlock exclaimed, voicing his surprise at finding the base commander standing there listening to the conversation.

"Well, that is certainly the first time I have ever heard you curse in a language I could understand, Harlock." Saki said, with an amused look on his usually stoic features.

"Come off it." Harlock muttered, as his companions laughed at his expense.

"I can see that this is going to be interesting." Ken muttered, as Youji found his place in the closely knit group.

"Getting back to what we were talking about, it seems that the only one who can use one the Eagles is you, isn't that right, Saki?" Harlock asked, as all attention shifted to the base commander.

"Yes, that is true, but I wouldn't want to fly one." Saki replied, with a sigh.

"Do you only like to fly the stuff you're used to, even if it isn't the latest?" Morris, the eldest pilot on base asked, as he entered the conversation. Saki smiled slightly and nodded.

"You can't afford any delays during combat. If you don't hit the enemy first, you're dead." Saki said, gravely. Harlock nodded and murmured his agreement. Morris chuckled.

"That's a real Saki statement." Morris said, unaware when Ken gave Saki a scrutinizing look.

"_Even after all this time, Saki is still a mystery to me. What is he hiding? There's always something troubling him._" Ken thought, as the grim look remained in Saki's deep blue eyes, even though he was sharing a light moment with men he deemed his own. He returned to reality when Mick yelped.

"What's up?" Ken asked, as all attention turned to Mick.

"Some insect hit my face." Mick muttered, as he rubbed the side of his face.

"An insect?" Youji and Harlock asked, at the same time, then glared at one another.

"It's a locust." Ken said, as he picked up the insect and held it up for his comrades to see.

"A locust? In the middle of the desert?" Shin asked, as confused as the rest. Even the grim look in Saki's eyes lifted for a moment to reveal his confusion on the matter.

"I wonder how it could survive out here? There are so few plants out here for it to eat." Youji added.

"Let me see that." Morris said, then added, "I used to have a crop-dusting job, so I know a little about insects."

"That's a surprise." Shin said, looking up when Saki walked off, shaking his head.

"Apparently doesn't like bugs." Harlock said, chuckling as Saki turned and gave him an odd look. Then, before anything more could be said, a brilliant flash lit the desert, and a huge billowing cloud rose from one of the other airbases nearby.

"W-what the hell?! It's a mushroom cloud!" Mick yelped, as horror crossed the faces of his fellow pilots.

"It's over in the direction of Area 81!" Harlock said, his voice finely edged with tension that was only heard just before a battle.

"Alert! Alert! This is an alert! Combatants who can make a sortie stand-by immediately!" a voice shouted through the intercom.

"My god, what's going on here?!" Youji asked, his face pale and his body trembling.

"_I think I know_……………." Ken thought, as he remembered what he'd learned in school about nuclear warheads.

"This is not an exercise!! Anti-government forces have used a nuclear missile! Area 81 has disappeared!! Repeat, Area 81 has disappeared!!" the dispatcher shouted, the desperation becoming chillingly clear in his voice.

"Well, boys, it's time to go to work. Let's hope fortune smiles on us today and lets us live." Harlock muttered, as he rushed off to get to his plane.

"I hope it does." Ken muttered, as he watched his companions (with the exception of Shin) get into their aircraft and wait to take off.

"Ground crew, prepare each plane immediately with air-to-air missiles for anti-missile combat." The dispatcher said, his voice shaky with fear.

"Saki! Was the missile used against Area 81 an ALBM or an IRBM?!" Shin asked, as he and Ken rushed to catch up with the commander.

"I doubt that the anti-government forces have a plane capable of launching an ALBM. So my guess is that it was an IRBM." Saki replied, his usual grim look replaced with something that was akin to worry.

"What happened to the base's anti-air missiles?" Ken asked, as he listened to the chaos around him, and wondered deep down how in the world he'd gotten into such a situation.

"Our radar is completely out of use. They might be jamming it somehow." Saki said, as a dire warning was issued from the tower about the possibility of a missile attack on the base.

"Sorry Shin, Ken, but we've got to try and shoot down that missile." Mick said, as he, Harlock, and Youji prepared to leave.

"That's okay. Don't worry about it." Shin said, as looks of understanding passed between them. They knew that the chances of success were slim, but they had to try. Saki watched as the five men said their farewells, knowing full well that this could be their last day. They all turned and looked when disaster struck once again; at first there was the usual sound of a jet screaming down the runway, then they heard the sound of the engine choking off and the jet careening wildly off to the left, exploding upon impact with the ground.

"Locusts……………….." Saki muttered, as he and the two grounded pilots watched in silent horror as a huge swarm of the insects descended into the airspace of Area 88. Nearby, Ken could hear some of his fellow pilots going mad from their hopelessness; they couldn't take off because of the swarm, and they couldn't stay at the base because of the threat of the nuclear missile.

"_Caught between a rock and a hard place._" Ken thought, all of the remaining color draining from his face when he saw just how many locusts there were. Then, amidst the chaos, one voice shouted something that Ken would remember for the rest of his life.

"Hurry up! I'm going to take off!" Morris shouted, as he raced over to his Texan.

"Morris! Don't do it! You'll crash too!" Shin shouted, voicing his and Ken's concern.

"Don't worry, I have an idea!" Morris replied, as he got into the cockpit of the North American T-6 Texan, and prepared for take-off. With courage only an old aviator could have, Morris took off.

"What is he up to?" Ken asked.

"He'd said something about clearing the runway. But how does he intend to do that?" Saki mused, as a hard wind kicked up around them, blowing his long hair back away from his face.

"He's spreading gasoline on the swarm!" Shin yelped, as he pointed out what the older aviator was doing.

"He intends to burn the locusts off of the runway………….Brilliant!" Harlock exclaimed, from his cockpit (he, Youji, and Mick were still awaiting take-off, by the way).

"You go, Morris! Nothing can extinguish the old soldier's fire!" Ken cheered, as he got a thumb's up from Morris as he turned to make another pass. Yet, before he could, the inexplicable happened; the engine in the old plane suddenly died, and sent it careening away. It crashed in a fiery inferno just a few yards away from the airstrip.

"MORRIS!!!" Ken and Shin both cried, in horror. Near them, Saki watched with a haunted look in his eyes, then shuddered slightly and forced himself to look away.

"He did it! The runway is clear!" Youji shouted, as he and his fellow pilots closed their cockpits and prepared for take-off.

"Ken, Shin, get on those planes." Saki ordered, as he motioned to two of the Eagles.

"Thanks Saki." Ken said, before they both could dash off. Saki laughed mirthlessly.

"If you want to thank me, do it when you've shot down that missile." Saki replied, with a hint of command in his voice. With a nod, both men rushed to the planes. Seconds later they were all airborne; with Ken behind Shin, and Harlock, Mick, and Youji behind him.

"Air-to-air range, on!" Shin said, as he broke away from the group.

"The enemy missile is at a distance of ten thousand feet." Youji informed, all seriousness now that he was in the air.

"_Just like he was when we were members of Weiss._" Ken recalled, just imagining the shining wire of Balinese looping itself around their enemy's neck.

"Thanks Youji." Shin replied, then murmured, "Morris……I will charge your fighting spirit into these missiles."

"Take 'em out, Morris." Mick added. With a determined look on his face, Shin released the missiles that would save Area 88.

"Missiles launched!" Shin shouted, as the twin missiles arced away from him and at the incoming enemy missile. Seconds later, there was a brilliant explosion in the sky, signaling to those on the ground that the nuclear missile had been destroyed.

"The missile has been destroyed. The emergency's over." Ken said, getting an almost relieved-sounding response from the dispatcher.

"Roger that. Well done, Shin. You saved all our asses that time!" the dispatcher said, getting some amused chuckles from the weary pilots.

"Not that he'll be getting any reward for it, though." Harlock muttered, hinting at what he really wanted to say.

"I heard that, German." Saki's voice muttered, from the control room.

"What?" Harlock asked, as silence pervaded over them.

"I think he got your meaning, Harlock." Ken said, jokingly.

"Damn." Harlock mumbled, with false anger in his voice. Shin sighed and shook his head; he had certainly acquired a strange bunch of friends in this arid place, and they were truer than any he'd ever had before.

"Heh, thanks for your support, guys, even though you didn't do anything up there." Shin said, with a short laugh.

"No problem. Maybe next time we'll get some action. For now, be glad it was only a missile that came at this base." Youji said, casually. As they all descended from the sky again, Ken felt as though he'd found a piece of himself that day. Even though Morris had paid the heavy price, Youji had finally reappeared, and that made all the difference.


	6. Chapter Six

Chapter Six: The Distant Battle

The early morning sun paints a cargo plane a strange hue as it comes in for a landing. When it comes to a halt, a young man, a photographer, opens the side door and takes a look around.

"Well, this is it, buddy. Take a good look. Area 88 is the roughest place in North Africa. You'll have a real fun time keeping yourself alive here." The pilot muttered, as the photographer got out. He watched as the pilot of the cargo plane tossed his suitcase out after him.

"Here's your luggage. If you're still alive a month from now, give me a call and I'll come and get you." The pilot said, as he quickly shut the door and made ready to take off.

"I've finally arrived. Hell in North Africa……Area 88." The photographer murmured, as he watched the sun rise to its full glory in the east.

"I am commander of this base, Saki Vashutarl. I'm a Lieutenant Colonel in the Asran National Airforce. And you are……." Saki muttered, as he glanced down at the photographer's papers, "Goh Mutsuki, twenty-eight year old Japanese correspondent from the NP News Service."

"Call me Rocky. That's what everyone called me back in Europe. I got to be known as 'Fireball Rocky'. I guess I'm pretty famous there." The photographer said, confidently. Saki smirked.

"I'm sorry, but I don't keep up on what's happening in the outside world. I'm afraid I've never heard of you." Saki replied, getting a rather deflated look from Rocky as a result.

"This really is a provincial place……" Rocky muttered, as he looked around the sparse office of the highest ranking officer of Area 88.

"Yes, but why would the world famous NP send a reporter to such a 'provincial place'? I imagine there are many other places where you could find news." Saki commented.

"Yeah, there are, but this is the only place using a mercenary airforce. Besides, I heard there's two Japanese pilots here." Rocky stated, as Saki arched an eyebrow.

"Actually we have three Japanese pilots now. There's Kazama, Hidaka, and Kudou. Kudou got here just recently." Saki said, as he put some paperwork away and glanced out the window.

"Are they still alive?" Rocky asked, eagerly. Saki shrugged.

"I don't know. They should be back soon. If they're still alive, they will be parking in spots 18, 19, and 22." Saki replied, then soberly added, "Rocky, you are free to collect news here, but let me warn you. This is the edge of hell……I can't guarantee you'll survive here. Please fill out this form so we'll know where to send your belongings in case something happens." It was Rocky's turn to smirk.

"The only thing a war correspondent ever leaves behind is a broken camera. If this camera survives, so will I. But I will fill out your form anyway." Rocky consented, getting a grudging look of respect from the young commander.

"All right. Whenever you need anything, go to McCoy's warehouse at the end of the aviation sheds. He has almost everything." Saki informed.

"Does he have film?" Rocky asked, point blank.

"Of course. He has everything from toilet paper to nuclear payloads." Saki replied, before Rocky left the office.

The scream of jet engines were usual sounds at Area 88, as were the sounds of foreign pilots cursing to high heaven.

"Watch out, McCoy! It looks like you're gonna get your ears chewed off!" Ken shouted, watching as an infuriated German (namely Harlock) stormed over to him, snarling about a part in his jet that had just turned out to be scrap.

"He has a foul mouth." Youji muttered, as he descended from his jet.

"Can you really understand half of what he's saying?" Ken asked, a little surprised by this.

"Yeah. And then some. He just said something unfavorable about McCoy's mother." Youji said, as they watched, with identical deadpan expressions, Harlock berate the shifty weapons supplier about the part.

"Here comes Shin. At least he made it through today's sortie." Ken mused, as the jet belonging to Shin Kazama came to a halt in its parking space. It wasn't until Shin had the cockpit canopy open and his helmet off that he, Ken, and Youji, heard a voice call out to them in their native tongue.

"Look this way, you three, so I can get a better shot!" the male voice shouted, getting startled and surprised looks from the three in response.

"_That's Japanese!_" the three thought, at the same time, as they all looked to the source of the voice. They were all surprised to see what appeared to be a photographer standing there, his camera pointed directly at them.

"That's it! Great! Three samurai, fighting for tomorrow in the red-hot desert…….you three have nice faces for photos." The photographer said, with an easygoing and somewhat self-assured grin.

"W-who are you?!" Shin asked, speaking for all of them when he said that.

"You haven't heard Japanese in a while, have you?" the photographer asked.

"Not outside of our group, no." Ken answered, honestly.

"The name's Goh Mutsuki. I'm a correspondent for NP. Call me Rocky." The photographer said, introducing himself to the trio. Shin in turn gave him a wary look. Rocky stood where he was and admired the jets Shin, Ken, and Youji were using. They were all F5E Tiger II s, but each had a different symbol on the tail fin. Shin's jet had a unicorn marking on it, while Ken's had a wildcat with a freesia flower in its mouth. Youji's jet also had a wildcat, but it had a coil of barbed wire framing its bristling body.

"_Interesting choice of designs_………_wonder what brought that on?_" Rocky wondered, then said, "Those are F5E Tiger II s. Are they easier to pilot than the old F5 Freedom Fighters?"

"They're pretty similar." Shin replied, as he descended from his aircraft.

"But these babies have more powerful engines, so they climb and accelerate a lot faster." Youji added, as Rocky continued snapping pictures of them.

"Please stop the photo session. I don't like being in front of a camera." Shin grumbled, moodily. Ken nodded silently in agreement.

"Speak for yourself, Kazama." Youji muttered. He got glares from his fellow pilots for a response. Youji ignored them.

"Don't be so cold, man. I have to take pictures. It's my job." Rocky stated, his self-assurance not shaken in the slightest.

"Well, there are a lot of other things you can photograph, right? Look! I'll bet that'd make a nice picture!" Ken said, as he pointed out a jet that had a trail of smoke pouring out behind it.

"The tail's on fire!" Rocky yelped, in alarm.

"That's Greg's Skyhawk." Shin murmured, as the badly smoking plane landed on the runway.

"I'll catch you guys later! See you!" Rocky shouted, before dashing off towards the jet.

"Keep your cool……..Don't freak out." Ken said, after the retreating figure of the photographer.

"What was that all about? Who was that, anyway?" Harlock asked, as he walked up to the three, his anger having since been spent.

"Just some photographer from the NP News Service. Called himself Goh Mutsuki." Ken replied, surprised when a look of recognition crossed Harlock's scarred features.

"I remember him! He's the one that had interviewed my grandfather about World War II! What's he doin' here, of all places?" Harlock asked, surprised to say the least.

"I think he's here to do a story on the base." Youji replied, simply.

"But why would anyone want to?" Ken in turn asked, getting shrugs from his companions for a response.

Hours later, Shin, Youji, and Ken found themselves at the door to the room 'Fireball Rocky' was using during his stay on base.

"Had the same thought in mind?" Youji asked, guessing what was on his companions' minds.

"Yeah." Shin replied.

"That, and I thought I'd ask him if he's seen Ran and Omi anywhere during his travels." Ken added. Youji nodded in understanding. He was also very concerned about his two former comrades and often wondered what their fate had been. Without another moment's hesitation, Shin knocked on the door and, once they had been bidden to enter by the room's occupant, they entered the room.

"Ah, it's you three. I didn't expect you to come here. I was about to come visit. Good timing." Rocky stated, as he finished putting a new role of film into his camera. It was then that Rocky noticed all three of them gazing quietly at said camera.

"Does that Nikon remind you guys of Japan?" Rocky asked.

"A little." Shin replied.

"Reminds me of how many times I saw them when I was in the J-League." Ken commented, getting a raising of eyebrows from Rocky as a response.

"You were in the J-League, Hidaka? Then what're you doing here?" Rocky asked again, voicing his surprise.

"Let's just say I let my hopes get the better of me." Ken replied, repeating what Harlock had said just a few months earlier.

"I see. What were you doing before you arrived here, Kudou?" Rocky questioned, turning his attention to Youji for a moment.

"I ran a detective agency from my home. Mind you, I'm no Sherlock Holmes, but I was fairly good at it." Youji said, giving Ken a dirty look in response to his remark about his being more of a 'Watson' than a 'Holmes'. Rocky chuckled as Shin sighed and rolled his eyes, then looked directly at him, his eyes taking on a searching look.

"Could you……..uh……….tell me something about Japan? Anything, even a little……..?" Shin said, although not altogether certain as to how to voice his request.

"Something about Japan……….Sorry, I can't. I haven't been back there in three years. Our headquarters is in England. I've been working in Europe for a long time, with London as my base." Rocky replied, noticing the crestfallen looks on the three men's faces in response to this.

"Huh………is that so………?" Shin murmured, voicing his very evident disappointment.

"Are your families back there?" Rocky asked.

"No." Shin replied, speaking for all of them.

"Somewhere else, then?" Rocky again asked.

"No, I'm an orphan. I've never seen my mother's face." Shin said, somberly.

"I'm in the same boat Shin is. Whattabout you, Youji?" Ken asked, as they all looked at the 'former detective'.

"I have some relatives scattered all over the place, but I haven't been in touch with them for a long time." Youji replied.

"Sorry, I shouldn't have asked. I was out of line asking you three such personal questions." Rocky said, a little shamefacedly.

"That's okay, we're all kind of used to it." Shin said, as Ken and Youji murmured their agreement.

"Why're you here, though?" Rocky asked again, and, when he didn't get any answers from Shin or Youji, continued, "Is it fun to kill people?" This got a set of shocked looks from all three.

"I'm not doing this because I like it." Shin stated, as he tried to compose himself.

"And we're not here for the money, either." Ken added.

"Well, those are interesting answers. I thought all mercenaries were volunteers…….but you're telling me you don't like it? You three were hired for money and combat. You knew you'd be risking your lives. And you wouldn't have done that unless you liked war." Rocky stated, matter-of-factly.

"That's not true!" Shin shouted, startling his two companions somewhat.

"_Now that comment got under Shin's skin. And with good reason. Ken and I don't like killing any more than he does._" Youji thought, soberly.

"Okay. Then explain why you're here, Kazama, Kudou, Hidaka. Why did you become mercenaries if you don't like it?" Rocky questioned.

"Because……………." Shin started, then trailed off, stuck for an answer. Ken and Youji were in no better shape.

"_I've been a photojournalist for years_…………._and I can read the truth in their eyes. Even though Youji and Ken have the look of men who have killed before, neither of them, nor Shin, really like being here. They must be here because they were forced to._" Rocky thought, as he watched the three miserably file out of the room.

Later that same day, Rocky sought out the warehouse where McCoy had set up shop, with the intent to get some film.

"Ne, McCoy!" Rocky shouted, as he entered the warehouse.

"What is it, boyo?" McCoy asked, sounding honestly curious as he stepped up to the journalist.

"I need film for my camera. Do you have any?" Rocky in turn asked.

"Sure, lad. What'll it be?" McCoy questioned.

"I want fifty rolls of 35mm Tri-X." Rocky said, with some embarrassment on his face.

"Ah, yes…………I just happen to have some in stock." McCoy mused, as he went to go and retrieve the requested film.

"I didn't know reporters went on assignment without film." An amused Harlock said, as he and Mick walked into the warehouse. Rocky's eyes widened.

"Frank Harlock! It's been years, man! How've you been?!" Rocky asked, evidently very pleased to see an old friend.

"Fair. How about yourself?" Harlock replied, as he and Rocky exchanged hearty handshakes.

"The same. What're you doin' out here?" Rocky asked again.

"Staying true to the old Harlock tradition. Gotta 'pay the rent' somehow." Harlock joked. Rocky nodded in understanding.

"That tradition. Speaking of which, how's your grandfather doin' these days? Is he still flying?" Rocky questioned.

"Yes, he is. Despite his age, he still gets up there and flies. He still says that the engine of his old plane Arcadia is like his heart. As long as it can still get that plane off the ground, he'll continue to fly." Harlock replied, looking a little wistful when he mentioned his beloved grandfather and mentor.

"Anyway, changing the subject before our resident pirate gets homesick, why'd you go on assignment without film?" Mick asked, smirking when Harlock gave him an odd look, and as Rocky gave him a chagrined one.

"Don't be a wise guy. When that plane crashed this afternoon, I was so absorbed taking pictures that I left my film bag open under the red-hot sun. All two hundred rolls are gone." Rocky muttered, exasperated with himself for having made such a stupid mistake.

"Well, everybody makes mistakes. Don't blame yourself." Mick said, reassuringly, then asked, "Have you met Shin, Ken, and Youji yet?"

"Yeah, but I don't understand them. I've been around a lot of battlefields in my day, and I know what soldiers' eyes are like. And those three just don't have them, even though their combat records are excellent." Rocky murmured, thoughtfully.

"You're a real reporter indeed! You've got a journalist's instincts, buddy." Mick stated, as McCoy returned with the film.

"Mick, Harlock, those three lads are different from you two. They're not fighting because they like it." McCoy said, with much conviction.

"Do you know why they're here?" Rocky asked, sensing that he'd found a lead. McCoy shook his head.

"No. I only have my intuition, no proof. Besides, no one here really talks about his past…….It seems to me that the goals of Shin's battles, and those of Youji and Ken, are always somewhere else……..somewhere far, far away. For them, the battle over here is merely a step toward another battle elsewhere. They're determined to survive this hell no matter what." McCoy said, his words effectively silencing Rocky.

That evening, as they were on a mission, Ken's thoughts returned to his, Youji and Shin's conversation with Rocky. Was what they were doing really the only way to get home? If not, then what was?

"Shin! You've got an enemy behind you! Dive! Move!" Harlock's voice shouted, the warning sending chills down Ken's spine, but he was relieved when Shin evaded the enemy jet, then shot it down.

"You saved my life, Harlock. I owe you one." Shin said, shakily.

"Verdammt Shin! What the hell were you daydreaming about back there?! You almost got wasted!" Harlock snarled in response.

"Harlock…….we're nothing but killers, aren't we?" Shin asked quietly. There were a few moments of silence before the German pilot responded. But, when he did, his gruff words reached not only Shin, but also Ken and Youji as well.

"Shin, if we don't kill them, they'll kill us. It is as simple as that. That is what you're going to have to do, if you want to get home alive." Harlock replied, matter-of-factly.

"Well spoken, Harlock. As it is, none of us has a choice in the matter. We have to take each day as it comes, for good or ill." Youji murmured in agreement.

"And take each enemy as he comes." Ken added, his soft tone almost lost amidst the static.

When they all finally returned to base, one of the other pilots was waiting on the scene.

"Shin, Ken, Youji!" the pilot shouted, to get their attention.

"Evenin' Eric." Ken greeted, tiredly.

"Evenin'. Did you guys see Greg, the bearded guy?" Eric asked, worriedly.

"No." Shin replied.

"We haven't seen 'im since this afternoon. Why?" Youji asked, in turn.

"That bastard hasn't even come back yet. I wonder if he was shot down?" Eric said, still sounding worried.

"Eric………" Shin murmured, as he gave the other pilot a concerned look. As the three of them moved off, they could hear Eric still trying to convince himself that his bearded comrade was coming back. And, when he was certain that Youji and Shin had gone inside, Ken looked back at Eric and wondered how different, if at all, his hopes were for seeing either Omi or Ran ever again.

"_Please, be safe out there, you two, wherever your paths take you._" Ken thought, hoping against hope that his friends were somewhere safe. Somewhere far, far away from Area 88.


End file.
